Balanced front wrap continuous wing deep cradle bra

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a fully balanced bra having a mid-line two-piece frame which is comprised of only the two pieces (meaning that no further pieces are necessary to provide structural support to the cups) and having a double wrap bridge-band/cradle and re-enforced integrated seamless lateral support sections which together provides a deep cleavage bra frame that is attractive, balanced, smooth fitting, and comfortable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a brassiere or more colloquially a “bra”, which, in a first embodiment has a front plunge neckline and a deep cradle or frame which provides both vertical and horizontal support to the wearer for a beautifully balanced natural feel. This bra, which is unpadded and unlined, includes a double wrap bridge-band in lieu of a center panel and raw cut re-enforced fully integrated seamless lateral support sections which extend upwards from the front of the underarm through the top of the front strap. The bra frame is comprised of an unseamed left pattern piece and an unseamed right pattern piece, forming continuous wing/cradle sections, and which are assembled together by under-lapping frame extensions at the bottom center of the left and right cups to form a shape smoothing cradle. These frame extensions are attached to the cups beneath kissing rocker wire type under-wires at the bottom edges of the left and right cups, and the lapping feature occurs in the center to deepen the frame of the bra and smooth the fit unto the wearer's middle. Taken together these features present a deep cleavage unpadded bra that provides for a beautiful balance and support, a natural feeling, great hanger appeal, and is smooth fitting, and comfortable, including for a plus size wearer. In a further embodiment, the continuous wing and underwrapped cradle frame assembly is used with a balconette style bra having an integrated set of cups each including their own separate underwire, and a center gore. The cups optionally include padding, such as push-up style padding, and a v-shaped neckline in either a balconette, or plunging style which is designed to provide for a smooth bra/bust transition and a full and appealing cleavage. In yet a further embodiment, the bra is provided in a strapless version, which optionally includes padded or push-up style cups.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A goal of the lingerie fashion is to provide a bra, which combines support, looks, fit and comfort. Meeting the demands of these attributes is complicated since the structure necessary to provide support and comfort or looks and fit are often at odds. In particular, fashion designers often sacrifice natural feel and movement in order to achieve lift and support, or in a more recent trend achieve comfort in the bra-let style, but sacrifice support and looks, especially hanger appeal, but also as worn. This is particularly the case for brassieres that are designed for a fuller figure, and in these designs, the bra bridge and frame are often relatively rigid in order to provide a strong foundation to support the breast tissue and to avoid a frame that digs into the shoulders. While such designs provide support for the breasts, they do so to the disadvantage of the soft-tissues of the back and side body of the wearer. Moreover, they rely on a highly structured framework and relatively rigid cradle in which the breasts are both supported in a unilateral structure which decreases the balance of the construct making the bra less comfortable to wear over time.

The question of support for the breasts is increased in a bra that has a plunging neckline and a resulting limited bridge section since this section is minimized and less able to provide additional support to the bra framework. Once again, such a design provides additional structural requirements for the back design in order to avoid a bra, which “digs into” the wearer's back and side body to compensate for the missing bridge support at the wearer's sternum.

The present invention meets these issues and in a first embodiment provides a high-fashion plunge front soft bra design that creates an attractive cleavage and has virtually no central bridge member (i.e., the central section over the sternum which joins the medial edges of the left and cups). Moreover, the invention includes an assembled two-part bra frame (i.e. the base of support for the front of the bra) which includes re-enforced fully integrated seamless lateral fabric sections which extend from the front underarm and up through the top of the front straps. These “fabric support sections” or “continuous wings” are joined by a bottom central bridge-band assembly having over-lapping right and left lower band members or frame extensions which are continuous with the side wings and that join, support, lift and separate the unpadded formed fabric cup members in a way that allows supported balance and natural movement, such as independent movement of the rights and left breasts, while minimizing the fleshy bulge at the bra/flesh interlace (i.e., at the anterior arm pit, the back of the arm hole, and under the bra line on the torso), which occurs in many bra designs. This bottom double wrap bridge-band/cradle varies from the typical bridge section in that it joins the bottom edges of the cups rather than the medial portions centered between the cups and instead replaces that portion of a bra frame that would support the un-padded shaped cups from the bottom. This allows a clean and low neckline, which features the cleavage of the wearer and also allows the wearer to enjoy a natural feeling and easy movement in a supportive bra while providing for smooth and seamless support. These frame extensions deepen the length of the bra so that the bra extends longer toward the waist of the wearer in a unique “mid-line” style which provides comfortable support and a smooth outline.

In a second embodiment, the bra uses the same frame construction of right and left continuous wing members that flow into integral and seamless front supports structures which rise to the shoulder and join to back arm straps and at the bottom (relative to the wearer's head) include extensions that lap each other and form the cradle to support the bottom of the frame and the cups. In this version, the cups are provided in a third pattern piece in which the right and left cup are a single member, joined in the middle with a central gore section and where each cup includes optional underwire support. The cups can also include padding, such as demi-pads or push-up pads, or fuller padding, depending on the profile that is desired. In addition, the cups can include a sweetheart v-neckline which come to a point slight lateral to the inside edge of the frame below the clavicle of the wearer. The cup assembly is stitched to the frame, below the cup assembly and at the side of the right and left cup as each extends diagonally upward toward the center line. The design of the frame/cup attachment directs the line of pull upward evenly on the front shoulder portion and provides a smooth transition between the flesh and the bra at the neckline.

In yet another embodiment, the balanced front wrap cradle is used in a strapless style bra to provide the same support, comfort and style in a bra that optionally includes padded cups.

In the prior art, the frame is the base of support for the front of the bra where the cups are sewn into the bra and typically has a band that continues and extends into the center back sections. The frame is generally constructed in two seamed sides (i.e. right and left), which support the cups that actually receive the breast tissue, and with a center front piece called the bridge. Movement in the frame or bridge fabric is generally directed in the vertical direction so the cup placement does not move, and the bridge area is also typically stabilized for the same reason. It should be noted that some bras do not have a frame and only have the bridge to separate the cups on the front of the body. This makes a stable bridge even more important. For bras with a frame, the band of the bra is a continuation of the frame that extends to the center back of the bra where the frame is generally opened and fastened, such as by eye and hook closure, hook and loop or similar mechanical means. If the bra does not have a frame, the bottom band starts right at the outside of the cups. In this case, the band of the bra must have stretch for comfort and this stretch is positioned horizontally so the band expands around the body.

The more traditional style back closure bra has a back band, which typically provides sufficient length in the horizontal direction (i.e., around the wearer's torso) to allow for adjustability. On the relatively broad and flat surface of the wearer's back, which accommodates the back band, there is room for an overlapping closure tab, and even generally an offset space between the wearer's scapulae. The size of this area provides for a significant range of adjustment in the circumference of the support band.

The present invention provides in a first embodiment, the advantages of a deep plunge style bra with a unique support structure featuring soft, seamless raw cut reinforced integral lateral support segments joined at the bottom by frame extensions sewn into an over-lapping bridge-band or cradle assembly that supplants the traditional bridge member and which provides a frame that takes a vertical load and supports the suspended load of the cups in an un-padded plunge style bra that provides for dynamic comfort and for a smooth profile for both the bra and the wearer. The front support segments have a neckline extension which is medial to the top edge of the cups and attached to the top medial edge of the cup such that the front edge of the cup assumes a smooth neckline from cup to strap which results from a balanced line of support on the cups. In a second embodiment, the bra is a balconette style which uses the frame assembly having the continuous two-piece wing/shoulder strap/cradle which relies on the design to achieve the balance and support and natural smooth fit of the present invention. By balconette style, it is meant that the cups have a horizontal support, which acts like a shelf to lift and support the breasts. In a third embodiment, the bra uses the front wrap cradle to support a strapless version which lacks the shoulder straps of the other embodiments to provide a clean and bare neckline defined only by the top edges of the cups, the top edge of the over-laying tab, and the side of the cradle and side wings and back tabs. The back tabs include closure means, such as a wide eye and hook closure having at least three, and preferably four or even five or more sets of closure members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a two-piece frame assembly that in a first embodiment provides a front plunge bra. The frame assembly has a unique two-piece frame that replaces the traditional center panel or bridge with a bridge-band assembly formed by extending the wings to wrap under the front section and to provide both vertical and horizontal support from the front underarm through the shoulder and at the torso under the breasts. The unpadded bra is supported through two lateral support sections created by laminating rigid tricot non-stretch facing to direct a vertical load to the wearer's side body. These sections extend the full height of the front wing sections from the bottom to the top of the wide raw cut self-fabric front strap lined with rigid stabilizer and having interior edges finished with silicone. The front straps are set laterally to the cup midline and are integral with the front wings. They have lapped edges that join to the back straps which are matte elastic back straps with nylon coated ring and slider adjustable integral to the shaped back wing with a bar ring attached to the strap to optionally form a tear-drop shaped arm hole. The back slider is curved for a flat, no-bump finish on the body (i.e. a g-hook on slide for a convertible back).

This bra includes overlaid left and right sling molded cup (unpadded, unlined and without foam) members each having a rocker style underwire (which “kiss” at the center). The cup members are connected (i.e. by seaming) at the bottom edge with support bridge-band member which overlap in a scissoring arrangement to connect the remaining band portion of the frame including lateral wings that extend into a back portion having a right side and a left side that together extend fully across the back in a leotard shape back profile. The back wing members do not include the non-stretch interlining so that the back members retain the stretch of the garment outer fabric. (Advantageously, a Lycra style fabric that has a luxurious feel, sufficient stretch, and durability characteristics to survive machine washing over time.) The seams are folded inward and sealed with silicone edging. The back portion latches using an adjustable hook and eye closure mechanism having a hook tab with a series of hooks, and preferably a vertical column of at least two, and more preferably at least three hooks, that overlays and engages an eye tab with a series of eyes or loops, in corresponding columns containing a like number of eyes. The hook tab includes at least two, and preferably three or more, columns of eyes spaced at regular intervals (for example from 0.4 to 0.8 cm, and more preferably from 0.5 to 0.7 cm, i.e., nominally 0.25 inch +/−0.75 inch). The bra further includes a set of two shoulder straps, where the straps are comprised of front straps integral to the front wing and joined by a (optionally by a coved) seam to the back straps. The back straps are provided with adjustment means (rings and sliders) to provide for adjustment in the length of the shoulder strap. The left and right shoulder straps are attached to the respective left and right cups and in the back to the respective left and right side of the back band, although it should be understood that the invention can also include other strap arrangements as are known in the art, such as back cross straps, or single strap neck loop style or strapless or styles which can be changed between any of these styles.

The edges include silicone tape on the interior surface sandwiched between folded over self-finish edges.

In a second embodiment, the two-piece frame assembly is used with a unitary set of cups that include right and left cup members joined by a center gore.

In a third embodiment, the bra is provided in a strapless version.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will become apparent by reading the detailed description of the invention, taken together with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the bra in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail of the interior view of the bra of Figure;

FIG. 3 is an interior view of the left piece of the frame assembly;

FIG. 4 is an interior view of the right side of the frame assembly;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a second embodiment of the bra in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 6 is a view of a left portion of the frame assembly of the present invention, with the right portion having a configuration that is a mirror image; and

FIG. 7 is a front view of a further embodiment of a strapless version of the bra in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, an illustrative first embodiment of a brassiere 10 in accordance with the present invention, which has a front side 12 that includes a plunging neckline 13, which lacks a traditional center panel or rigid bridge member. The neckline is defined by the medial extension of the front wings and the top edges of the sling style molded cups that are over sewn onto the front frame 14. The bra has a frame 14 that supports molded full cover right cup 20 and left cup 22 members. The frame 14 is constructed from only two pattern pieces, a right piece and a left piece each including a front medial lower extension that are assembled to form a bridge-band assembly. The frame comprises front right and left wing sections 16, 17 which further provide vertical support sections 32, 33 provided by laminating a non-stretch fabric which has no grain such as a non-woven or a vertical grain and including specifically a rigid tricot which is laminated to the center front right and left sections extending from the bottom edge to the top of the front straps 42, 43. On the superior side, the cups together with the top of the front wings define the neckline 13, which is a clean finished neckline that seamlessly joins the right and left shoulder straps. The shoulder straps 42, 43 each include a front strap that laps over a section of adjustable back strap joined at a ring member to the extension of the back wings, and further include means to adjust the length of the strap such as a ring 37 and slider 35.

The cups 20, 22 preferably include an underwire, and more specifically in this case a full cover rocker underwire at their bottom and lateral edge (although it should be understood that other underwires, forms of support, or even no underwire or additional support can be used) and are each connected at their lateral side 32, 34 with the front/side members of a support band member 40 which joins the back wing members which together form a leotard style back having a center peak that extends upward to join the back straps. The back wings include a tab 42 so as to extend fully across the back and include a two-piece left half 52 that connects with a right half 54 and which latches using an adjustable eye or loop 64, and preferably a vertical column of at least two, and more preferably at least three eyes to six sets of hooks and eyes 64 on a reinforced eye tab 62. The right half of the inner band further has a reinforced tab with a vertically regularly spaced series of hooks that overlays and engages a reinforced eye tab 62 on the left half of the inner band. The eye tab 62 includes at least one corresponding column having a series containing a like number of vertically spaced eyes. The tab preferably includes at least two horizontally spaced columns of eyes, and more preferably at least three or more horizontally spaced columns of eyes at regular intervals. As described the bra is set up for a right-handed person with the hook portion of the closure mechanism on the right side of the panel.

The frame further includes a novel bridge-band assembly that is formed by a right member and a left member which each join at a lateral edge to the front support section and along a top edge to the bottom medial edge of the cup and on the short side to the inner most medial bottom edge of the opposite cup member. The bra is a longer style to blend into the torso and use the torso for support. The overlap of the bridge-band members forms a scissor connection which overlaps to form a smooth fit and comfortable balance for the right and left cup, and where the top surface of the top bridge-band member forms the bottom center of the plunging neckline between the two cups.

The left 28 and right 30 shoulder straps are attached to the respective left 22 and right 20 cups and in the back to the respective left and right side of the back band 40, although it should be understood that the invention can also include other strap arrangements as are known in the art, such as back cross straps, or single strap neck loop style or strapless bras or styles which can be changed between any of these styles.

Referring to FIG. 7, an illustrative third embodiment of a brassiere 110 in accordance with the present invention, which has a front side 112 that includes a strapless sweetheart neckline 113, which lacks a traditional center panel or rigid bridge member. The neckline is defined by the top edges of molded cups that are over sewn onto the front frame 114. The bra has a frame 114 that supports molded right cup 120 and left cup 122 members. Again, the frame 114 is constructed from only two pattern pieces, a right piece and a left piece each including a front medial lower extension that are assembled to form a bridge-band assembly. The frame comprises front right and left wing sections 116, 117 which further provide vertical support sections 132, 133 provided by as previously mentioned

The cups 120, 122 preferably include an underwire, and more specifically in this case a full cover rocker underwire at their bottom and lateral edge (although it should be understood that other underwires, forms of support, or even no underwire or additional support can be used) and are each connected at their lateral side with the front/side members of a support band member 40 which joins the back wing members. The back wings include a tab 142 so as to extend fully across the back and include a two-piece left half 152 that connects with a right half 154 and which latches using an adjustable eye or loop 164, and preferably a vertical column of at least two, and more preferably at least three eyes to six sets of hooks and eyes 164 on a reinforced eye tab 162. The right half of the inner band further has a reinforced tab with a vertically regularly spaced series of hooks that overlays and engages a reinforced eye tab 162 on the left half of the inner band. The eye tab 162 includes at least one corresponding column having a series containing a like number of vertically spaced eyes. The tab preferably includes at least two horizontally spaced columns of eyes, and more preferably at least three or more horizontally spaced columns of eyes at regular intervals. As described the bra is set up for a right-handed person with the hook portion of the closure mechanism on the right side of the panel.

The frame further includes a novel bridge-band assembly as previously described.

While it is apparent that the illustrative embodiments of the invention herein disclosed fulfill the objectives stated above, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments, which come within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bra comprising: a left and a right cup and a frame comprising a right front wing and a left front wing each having an integral laminated vertical support section and a first tab and a second tab that cross and overlap below the right cup and the left cup.
 2. The bra as set forth in claim 1, wherein the left cups and the right cup are unpadded.
 3. The bra as set forth in claim 1, wherein a bra has a plunge neckline.
 4. The bra as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first tab and the second tab form the only center section between the right cup and the left cup.
 5. The bra as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first tab is a continuous extension of the right front wing and the second tab is a continuous extension of the left tab wing.
 6. The bra as set forth in claim 5, further including at least one set of shoulder straps which are comprised of front straps joined to back straps and where one of these straps provides for adjustment in the length of the shoulder strap.
 7. The bra as set forth in claim 6, wherein the integral laminated vertical support section extends up the front straps.
 8. The bra as set forth in claim 7, wherein the bra has a right arm-hole and a left arm hole and the right front wing forms a portion of the right arm hole and the integral laminated vertical support section extends from the right arm hole and up the right front strap and the left front wing forms a portion of the left arm hole and the integral laminated vertical support section extends from the left arm hole and up the left front strap.
 9. The bra as set forth in claim 8, wherein the right front wing has a medial extension that forms a portion of the neckline medial to a right cup that is attached to the right front wing and wherein the left front wing has a medial extension that forms a portion of the neckline medial to a left cup that is attached to the left front wing.
 10. The bra as set forth in claim 5, wherein the bra has a frame that is comprised of an un-seamed right wing and an un-seamed left wing.
 11. The bra as set forth in claim 8, wherein the back wing does not include the non-stretch reinforcement.
 12. The bra as set forth in claim 1, wherein the left cup and the right cup are assembled into a single construct.
 13. The bra as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bra is a balconette style bra.
 14. A bra, comprising: a left cup and a right cup and a frame having a neckline that is defined at least in part by medial edges of the left cup and the right cup and comprising a right frame piece defining at least a portion of a right arm hole and a right front strap and a left frame piece defining at least a portion of a left arm hole and a left front strap where the right frame piece has an integral laminated vertical support section which extends from the right arm hole into the right front strap and the left frame piece has an integrated laminated vertical support section which extends from the left arm hole into the left front strap.
 15. The bra as set forth in claim 14, wherein the integral laminated vertical support sections include tricot linings.
 16. The bra as set forth in claim 15, wherein the right frame piece has a bottom frame extension that is seamed at an end to a bottom of the left front cup and along an edge to a bottom of the right cup and the left frame piece has a bottom frame extension that is seamed at an end to a bottom of the right front cup and along an edge to a bottom of the left front cup.
 17. The bra as set forth in claim 16, wherein the right cup and the left cup each include a rocker wire as an underwire.
 18. The bra as set forth in claim 15, wherein the right frame piece and the left frame piece each include a back wing member that is free from the integrated vertical support sections and include fasteners.
 19. The bra as set forth in claim 14, wherein the integral laminated support sections are non-stretch tricot interlining.
 20. A bra, comprising: a left cup and a right cup and a frame having a plunge neckline that is defined at least in part by medial edges of the left cup and the right cup and comprising a right frame piece having a right frame front section defining at least a portion of a right arm hole and a right front strap and a left frame piece having a left frame front section defining at least a portion of a left arm hole and a left front strap where the right frame piece has an integral laminated non-stretch support section which extends from a mid-line of the right arm hole to a top end of the right front strap and the left frame piece has an integrated laminated vertical support section which extends from a mid-line of the left arm hole to a top end of the left front strap and the right frame piece has a bottom extension that has an end that is attached to the left cup and a top edge that is attached to the right cup and the left frame piece has a bottom extension that has an end that is attached to the right cup and a top edge that is attached to the left cup.
 21. The bra as set forth in claim 20, wherein the right frame member further includes a right back section that is free from the integral laminated non-stretch support section and the left frame member further includes a left back section that is free from the integral laminated non-stretch support section.
 22. The bra as set forth in claim 20, wherein the left cup and the right cup are unpadded and the right frame front section and the right frame back section are un-seamed between them and the left frame front section and the left frame back section are un-seamed between them.
 23. A balanced front wrap bra, comprising: a left and a right cup and a frame comprising a right front wing and a left front wing each having an integral laminated vertical support section and a first tab and a second tab that cross and overlap below the right cup and the left cup, wherein the first tab and the second tab form a center section between the right cup and the left cup and where the first tab is a continuous extension of the right front wing and the second tab is a continuous extension of the left tab wing.
 24. A balanced front wrap bra as set forth in claim 23, wherein the bra is a strapless bra.
 25. A balanced front wrap bra as set forth in claim 23, wherein the bra has a deep plunge front neckline.
 26. A balanced front wrap bra as set forth in claim 23, wherein the bra is a balconette style. 